Bahrain placed in Pot 3 ahead of AFC U-20 qualification draw

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

The draw for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers will take place on Thursday, 28 May at the AFC House, marking the official start of the qualification pathway to Asia’s premier youth football tournament.

A total of 44 teams will take part in the qualifying campaign, which will be staged centrally from 25 August to 6 September 2026. The competition represents the 23rd edition of the AFC U-20 qualification process since its introduction in 1980.

This cycle introduces a revised format as part of broader AFC reforms designed to enhance competitive balance and ensure more evenly matched fixtures across youth competitions. The structure features a two-phase system incorporating promotion and relegation between stages.

In the Qualification Phase, 32 teams will be divided into eight groups of four. The eight group winners, along with the seven best second-placed teams, will qualify for the final tournament in China. The bottom-placed team in each group will be relegated to the Development Phase of the next cycle.

The Development Phase will feature 12 teams split into three groups of four. The three group winners, along with the three best second-placed teams, will be promoted to the Qualification Phase of the next edition.

Seeding for the draw is based on performances across the last three editions of the competition, as well as overall participation records in AFC competitions.